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GSMA tackles mobile spam

AT&T Mobility, KT and French operator SFR are trialling a new anti-spam service to combat a rise in the amount of spam sent in mobile messages.

The Spam Reporting Service, developed by the GSM Association (GSMA), will address consumer and operator concerns over the increase in spam sent in mobile messages, by acting as a global clearinghouse for threats reported by consumers.

Subscribers report spam messages by SMS using a short-code, and the information is then collated by security firm Cloudmark, which is running the service for the GSMA.

The carriers participating in the pilot will receive reports detailing which threats were reported, and whether those threats originated on their network.

Alex Sinclair, the GSMA’s chief strategy and technology officer, says the service will sit alongside other anti-spam measures like filters, and form “an important component of a comprehensive spam mitigation strategy for the industry.”

KT vice president Tae-Sook Ha said the GSMA’s program would complement a similar service already operating in South Korea, and that it was a “logical step” for carriers and subscribers to work together to combat spam.